Fastener-setting machine



Feb. 25, 1964 P. B JENSEN 3,121,376

' FASTENER-SE'I'TING MACHINE I Filed Nov. 17. 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Philip B. Jensen MK W TTORNEY Feb. 25, 1964 'P. B. JENSEN FASTENERSETTING MACHINE Filed N ov. 17, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 n R Y o w E T n N N e R W w m m .m 4 MY PB 0% v Feb. 25, 1964 P. B. JENSEN FASTENER-SETTING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 1'7, 1961 ITORN EY n w mJ E .W .m P

United States Patent 3,121,876 FASTENER-SETTHNG MACE-ENE Philip B. Jensen, Nangatuek, Conn, assignor to Scovill Manufacturing Company, Waterbury, onn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Nov. 17, 196i, Ser. No. 153,015 6 (Ilaims. (Cl. l-ltld) This invention relates to an apparatus for setting complemental snap fastener elements upon a cardboard blank.

The principal object of this invention is to automatically feed cardboard blanks one at a time by means of a conveyor mechanism to a pair of fastener-setting units where each blank is stopped and complemental fastener elements are simultaneously attached in a predetermined position. After attachment of the fastener elements, the blank is fed to a discharge unit while the next succeeding blank is automatically fed to the attaching units.

Another object is to provide sensing and safety controls that will stop the conveyor feed mechanism and fastenersetting units should any malfunction occur. This could be in the form of a failure to feed a blank to the fastener units, feeding more than one blank at a time, or failure of one or both fastener units to attach a fastener.

A further object is to provide a means for adjusting the fastener-setting units relative to a common support so the spacing of the fastener elements on the blank may be varied.

Other objects and advantages to be attained will be apparent as the description proceeds and the novel features of the invention will be particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the conveyor mechanism and the fastener-setting units embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same;

PEG. 3 is a side view of one of the sensing switches;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the same;

FIG, 5 is a detailed view of a portion of the blankfeeding mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an end View of the ratchet control for the blank stop fingers;

FIG. 7 is a schematic View of the electrical circuit and units used in conjunction with my invention;

FIG. 8 is a lay-out view of one type of blank to which fastener elements may be attached by my apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a blank as it appears when folded up and held in closed position by the fasteners;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a type of stud element that may be set by my apparatus; and,

FIG. 11 is a similar view of a type of socket element.

The function of the hereinafter-described machine is to simultaneously attach complemental fastener elements in a predetermined position on a cardboard box blank. FlG. 8 shows a blank it) of generally square shape in which are formed fold lines that define a rectangular box body ll, arranged diagonally to the generally square outline of the blank, and a series of closure flaps and tongues. When folded up with tongues tucked in and flaps overlapped, the blank it will form a generally rectangularly shaped box as shown in FIG. 9, that is adapted to contain a measured amount of material, such as bacon.

The overlying closure flap 12 located along one of the longitudinal sides of the box body 11, is provided with a "ice transparent window 12a thereby providing a suitable opening through which the contents of the box may be viewed. A snap fastener element 13 is attached adjacent the tip of the overlying flap l2 and a complemental fastener member 15 is attached to the opposite underlying flap 14 which is preferably deeply notched as at 16 to afford a clearance for the transparent window 12a. When folded, the blank 10 is adapted to be retained in closed box-like form by the engagement of the attached fastener elements 13 and 15 which, for purpose of illustration, are shown as being a socket and a stud, respectively.

The fastener elements 13 and 15 are of the type wherein the attaching means for the elements are integral therewith and specifically, as shown, are provided with bendable attaching prongs projecting out of the flange on said elements on the same side as the engaging parts.

The principal units of the apparatus consist of a blank holding and feeding unit 1'7, a belt conveyor mechanism 18, a blank discharge unit 19, a stud fastener attaching unit 2% and a socket fastener attaching unit 21. The feeding unit 17, the conveyor mechanism 18 and the discharge unit 19 are of the general type of mechanism used in an addressograph machine except modified to interfit with the fastener-setting units 20 and 21 and to accommodate the blank lit.

The blanks it are adapted to be stacked upon the feed ing unit 17 from which they are fed one at a time to the conveyor unit 18 by a pusher block 22 resting on the stack of blanks it The block 22 is actuated to slip the topmost blank from the stack by link 23 and lever 24 fixed to an oscillating shaft 25 (see FIG. 5). The individual blanks it will be fed in between a series of pinch rolls 27 and continuously travelling belts 26 where each blank will be caught and transported lengthwise of the conveyor mechanism 18 until stopped by a pair of stop fingers 2% supported on a common shaft 29 that is arranged transversely of said conveyor mechanism.

Fastener-Setting Units The fastener-setting unit 2i) consists of a stud-setting machine 20a and a motor 31 mounted upon an adjustable plate 39, the motor 31 operating the machine 20a through a belt drive 32. The machine 26a has a setting station X positioned inwardly of the right side of the conveyor mechanism 18.

Likewise, the fastener-setting unit 21 consists of a socket-setting machine 21a and a motor 39 mounted upon an adjustable plate 38, the motor operating said machine through a belt drive as. The machine 21a has a setting station Y positioned inwardly of the left side of the con veyor mechanism 18.

The stud and socket fastener-setting machines 29a and 21a are of the general type shown in the Carpinella Patent 2,735,567.

One of the desirable features of my invention is to mount the fastener-setting units 2% and 21 in such a manner that one of the units can be adjusted perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the conveyor mechanism while the other unit is mounted to be adjusted parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conveyor mechanism. This provides a means for adjusting the spacing of the fastener elements to accommodate different sizes of blanks or whatever articles may be fed to the machine to have fasteners applied thereto. For this reason, each fastenersetting machine with its motor is mounted on a common adjustable plate so that movement of the plate will cause each machine and its motor to be moved as a unit.

Specifically, the stud fastener-setting unit 2%) is de signed to be adjusted perpendicular to the conveyor axis. For this purpose, the plate 3t) has on its underside a longitudinal groove 33 interfitted with a guide rail 34 that is attached to the top of a common support table 35. The adjustment of the plate Ed is accomplished by a jack screw 36 operated by a handle 36a. After an adjustment is made to plate 35), the latter may be secured to the table 35 by tightening clamps 37 bolted to said table.

The socket fastener-setting unit 21 is designed to be adjusted parallel to the conveyor axis. For this purpose, the underside of the plate 38 is formed with a pair of transverse grooves interfitted with a pair of spaced guide rails 42 that are secured to the top of support table 35. The plate 38 may be adjusted by a jack screw 43 operated by handle 44 and held in adjusted position by clamps 38a bolted to the table 35.

Mechanical Controls The means for feeding the blanks It one at a time from the feed unit 17 has been previously described in part as consisting of the pusher block 22, linkage 23 and 24 and oscillating shaft 25.

In order to impart oscillatory motion to shaft 25, the outer end of said shaft has a crank lever 45 attached thereto which in turn is operated by a long reciprocating rod 46 having an angled end 46a suitably connected to said crank lever 45. The rod 46 may be slidably supported in bearing blocks (not shown) fixed on the frame of the conveyor 13. The opposite end of the rod 46 is connected to the outer end of lever 47 which is pivoted in bearing block 48 mounted on plate 38. The inner end of lever 47 is operated by a barrel cam 49 that is keyed to the drive shaft 59 of the attaching machine 21a so that as the drive shaft revolves, reciprocating motion will be imparted to rod 46 and oscillating motion to shaft 25.

The mechanism for stopping and releasing the blank 19 (shown in phantom outline FIG. 2) in the conveyor 18 has been partially described previously as stop fingers 28 and the common oscillating shaft 29. It is to be noted that the shaft 29 is arranged above and transversely of the conveyor 18 and pivots in bearings 51 and 52 mounted on the framework of the conveyor. The means for oscillating the shaft 29 is best shown in FIG. 6 and consists of a ratchet dog 53 mounted on the outer end of said shaft adjacent the bearing 51. When fingers 28 are in blankstopping position, the ratchet dog 53 will be engaged in a notch 54a of a cam ratchet wheel 54 which is rotatably mounted in bearing 51. Counterclockwise motion is imparted to the ratchet wheel 54 by a spring-tensioned pawl 55 carried by a block 56 adjustably mounted on a longitudinal bar 57 that is slidably mounted on the conveyor frame 18 parallel to the rod 46. The opposite end of the bar 57 is connected to the angled end 46a of the rod 46 from which the bar 5'7 obviously receives a reciprocatory motion. Each time the bar 57 is reciprocated, the pawl 55 will index the ratchet wheel 54 one tooth thereby causing the dog 53 to ride up over the outer surface of a tooth and into the next notch thus raising and lowering the stop fingers 28. It is to be noted that the outer surface of each tooth of the ratchet wheel 54 has a rather broad expanse over which the nose of the ratchet dog 53 is adapted to ride. This assures that the stop fingers 28 will be held in elevated position for a sufficient time period to permit the blank 10, after the setting operation, to be propelled well on its way by the conveyor 18 before the dog 53 drops into the next succeeding notch of said ratchet wheel and permits said stop fingers to drop into the path of the next conveyed blank.

When blanks of a different size are to be fed to the attaching units, it may become necessary to change the position of the stop fingers 28. This can be done by changing the position of the rod 29 which can be adjusted longitudinally of the framework of the conveyor 18 by loosening the set screws on bearings 51 and 52 and sliding the bearings along the frame of the conveyor. For a finer adjustment to prcdetermine a more exact positioning of the blank 10 in relation to the setting stations of the units 29 and 21, the stop fingers 28 are also adjustably mounted on the shaft 29 by cleats 58 and set screws 59 (see FIG. 1).

When rod 29 is moved for adjustment purposes, the block 56 will have to be moved a corresponding distance. This is done by loosening the set screws 56a and sliding the block 56 along the bar 57 until the pawl 55 properly engages the ratchet wheel 54; after which, the set screws 56!: may be tightened.

Electrical Controls Various electrical devices are provided to control the operation of the fastener-setting units 20 and 21 through solenoid-operated clutches. These devices will prevent said units from operating until a blank is properly positioned in line with the settin stations, and will also stop said units if any malfunction occurs, such as feeding more than one blank at a time or failure of one or both fastener units to attach a fastener. The electrical devices and circuits which include an electronic interval timer, are diagrammatically shown in FIG. 7 in which the main power lines are indicated by L and L The fastener-attaching machines 20a and 21a are driven by constantly running motors 31 and 39 through solenoid-operated one-revolution clutches '70 and 71. The clutch-controlling solenoids 72 and 73, connected directly to line L are operated by a normally open selfenergizin contact relay CR through the normally open limit switch LS and contact OR; of said relay that is con nected to line L The interposed limit switch LS will be closed when contacted by the leading edge of a box blank It) just prior to the positioning of the blank by stop fingers 28. When relay CR is energized and LS is closed, the circuit to the clutch solenoids 72 and 73 will be completed, the clutches engaged and the attaching machines Zita and 21a started. If a blank is not in proper fastener-attaching position, switch LS will remain open thereby breaking the circuit to the clutch solenoids 72 and '73, thus preventing operation of the attaching machines.

The contact relay CR connected directly to line L is controlled by an electronic interval timer T through the normally closed stop switch 5 which is connected to line L normally open timer switch TS, normally closed limit switch LS and contact CR of relay CR which makes said relay self-energizing. A normally open two-stage start switch will initially energize relay CR through switch S after which it will be controlled by the timer T.

The timer switch TS will be closed and will remain closed for a preset interval when the timer receives an electrical impulse upon completion of an internal circuit across the terminals 81. The preset timed interval is slightly longer than the speed at which the blanks 10 are fed to the attaching units so that under normal operating condition, an impulse will be received by the timer before the timed interval is completed thereby initiating a new timed interval which will keep the switch TS closed, relay CR energized and the attaching units operating. If due to a malfunction, no impulse is received and the timed interval is completed, the switch TS will open causing the contact relay CR to de-energize thereby stopping the attaching machines 20a and 21a. The normally closed limit switch LS will open only if two or more blanks are fed through the conveyor unit 18, and the stop switch provides a means to manually stop the attaching machines 29a and 21a. Operation of either of the latter switches will, of course, de-energize relay CR.

The internal impulse circuit of the timer consists of the normally open impulse switches IS; and 15 that are located adjacent to and directly in line with the setting stations of the attaching units 20 and 21 parallel to the line of travel of the blank. As the blank with fasteners attached is fed from the attaching station to the discharge unit, the impulse switches will be closed simultaneously by the combined thickness of the blank 10 and the attached fastener members (as described below) thereby sending an impulse to the timer. Should one or both of the attaching units 2i? and Z1 fail to attach a fastener, one or both impulse switches will fail to close, thereby allowing the timed interval of the timer to complete which will cause switch TS to open and dc-energize relay CR thus stopping the attaching machines 20a and Zla. When the attaching machines are first started, the initial impulse to the timer will be provided by the second stage S of the start switch.

As the supports for the impulse switches I8 and 18 are substantially the same except for left and right hand mountings, it is considered sufiicient to describe only the left hand switch 18 as viewed in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, impulse switch 18 is supported by a bracket 74 that is connected to the base of the attaching machine 21a through an angle piece 75. A bringing plate 76 is pivotally connected to the bracket 74 as at 77, and carries on its outer end a movable guide shoe 7 8 that is provided with a downwardly flared leading end 735:. The outer end of the hinging plate 76 is in direct contact with the plunger of the impulse switch 18 so that any downward movement of said plate will cause switch 18 to close. A stationary shoe 79 with an upwardly flared leading end 7 9a is supported directly above the movable shoe 7 S by means of spaced angle braces 8i that are bolted to bracket 74. The shoes 78 and 79 are directly in line with the setting station of attaching unit 2% so that the blank ill and the attached fastener elements are guided between the shoes by the flared ends 78a and 7 941 when fed from the attaching station to the discharge unit.

The space between the shoes 7 8 and 79 is great enough to permit passage of the blank 10 with no movement to the lower hinged shoe 78 but small enough so that the combined thickness of the blank ltl with an attached fastener member will cause the lower shoe to be deflected downwardly thereby closing the impulse switch I8 It will thus be seen that while the blank with attached fastener will close the impulse switches, the blank alone will fail to actuate said switches, thereby stopping the attaching machines.

Operation To operate the machine after the motors for the fas- Letter-attaching, units 20 and 21 and the conveyor 13 are started, it will first be necessary to manually feed one of the blanks it? from the stock of blanks in unit 17 to the conveyor l where it will be caught between the pinch rolls 27 and the belts 26 and fed along the conveyor until the leading edge of said blank contacts fingers 28 as a stop. lust prior to the time the blank 10 contacts the stop fingers 28, it will also contact and close switch LS Pushing the start button S will close relay CR which in turn will energize solenoids 72 and 73 thereby engaging the clutches 7 and 7'1. The start button will also initiate a timed interval in the timer T so that operation of the machine will now be fully automatic.

Operation of the clutches 70 and '71 will cause the units 2% and 21 to run through a single cycle of operation to set the socket and stud elements 13 and at their respective positions on blank ltl' as shown in PlG. 8. Upon the single revolution of the main shaft 50 of unit 21, the cam 4 will rotate and through lever 47, rod 4s, Cfcll'lii 45 and shaft 25 ope-rate the pusher block 22- to feed another blank to the conveyor l5. Simultaneously, the bar 57 will be moved to operate the ratchet wheel 54 and dog 53 to elevate the stop fingers 23 and release the previous blank and allow it to be carried by conveyor 18 to the discharge unit 19 where the blanks It) with elements properly attached may be packed for shipping. When the first blank leaves the fastener-attaching station, the blank 1th with fasteners attached will close the impulse switches is, and IS; thereby initiating a new timed interval so that the contact relay CR will remain energized. With no blanks in the fastener-attaching station, the the switch LS will return to its normally open position until contacted by the next succeeding blank which will close LS causing another pair of fasteners to be attached.

From the above-described mechanisms, it will be obvious that after the first blank is fed by hand, the opera tion of feeding blanks and setting fastener elements 13 and 15 thereupon, will be continuous unless there is a malfunction of one or more units whereupon all operations will be stopped by the electrical controls described in connection with FIG. 7.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for applying a pair of complementary snap fastener elements to a blank which when folded upon itself is held in closed position by said elements, said apparatus comprising a holding and feeding unit for a stack of said blanks, a blank-conveying mechanism continuously operating in one direction, a pair of fastenersetting units, one located on each side of said conveying mechanism, means for feeding a single blank from said holding and feeding unit to said conveying mechanism, means for advancing said blank along said conveying mechanism, means to stop said blank in line with said setting units, means contacted by said advancing blank for actuating said setting units through a single cycle of operation for attaching said fastener elements, and means operated from one of said setting units for releasing said stop means after the fastener-setting operation.

2. In an apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding and feeding unit is operated directly from one of said fastener-setting units.

3. In an apparatus of the class described comprising a fastener-setting unit and a continuously operating conveyor for feeding blanks to said unit, said unit comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drive for said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, stop means operated from said drive shaft to arrest the movement of said blanks in said conveyor in line with the setting station of said unit, a contact relay, and a contact switch interposed bet*een a normally closed switch of said contact relay and said solenoid, said contact switch adapted to be engaged by the travelling blank in said conveyor at about the same time it contacts said stop means to energize said solenoid and operate said unit through a single cycle of a fastener-setting operation.

4. In an apparatus of the class described comprising a fastener-setting unit having a setting station and a continuously operating conveyor for feeding blanks to said unit, said unit comprising a main drive shaft, a clutch drive for said shaft, a solenoid control for said clutch drive, stop means operated from said drive shaft for stopping a blank in the conveyor prior to the fastenersetting operation and to release said blank after the setting operation, and interval timer having a set timed cycle as determined by the speed of the blanks being fed through the conveyor, a contact relay controlled by said timer, said relay being energized during said timed cycle, and an impulse switch connected to said timer and arranged to be contacted by an element set on said blank for closing said impulse switch and reactivating said timed cycle.

5. In an apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein a limit switch is interposed between a switch in said interval timer and said contact relay, said limit switch adapted to be opened upon the feeding of two or more blanks at the same time through said conveyor and serving to de-energize said contact relay.

prior to the fastener-setting operation and to release said 10 lank after the setting operation, an interval timer having a set timed cycle slightly greater than the speed of the blanks being fed through the conveyor and fastener-setting units, a contact relay controlled by said timer, said relay being energized during said timed cycle, and a pair of 1 8 normally open impulse switches connected to said timer, one located beyond the fastener-setting station of each unit in a line parallel to the conveyor axis and adapted to be closed by the fastener elements set upon said blank 5 for reactivating said timed cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,704 Anderson Feb. 16, 1937 2,651,036 Stilwell Sept. 8, 1953 2,735,567 Carpinella Feb. 21, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,105,265 Germany Apr. 20, 1961 

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A PAIR OF COMPLEMENTARY SNAP FASTENER ELEMENTS TO A BLANK WHICH WHEN FOLDED UPON ITSELF IS HELD IN CLOSED POSITION BY SAID ELEMENTS, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOLDING AND FEEDING UNIT FOR A STACK OF SAID BLANKS, A BLANK-CONVEYING MECHANISM CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING IN ONE DIRECTION, A PAIR OF FASTENERSETTING UNITS, ONE LOCATED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID CONVEYING MECHANISM, MEANS FOR FEEDING A SINGLE BLANK FROM SAID HOLDING AND FEEDING UNIT TO SAID CONVEYING MECHANISM, 